Saturday, April 2, 2016
Friday, April 1, 2016
President Obama Remarks at National Security Summit
President Obama delivered remarks at the at the opening session of the
2016 Nuclear Security Summit. He talked about international efforts to
secure nuclear material. He also discussed efforts by terrorist groups
like al Qaeda and ISIS to acquire nuclear materials in order to produce
nuclear devices, such as so-called “dirty bombs.” Dutch Prime Minister
Mark Rutte, who hosted the previous summit in 2014, also spoke.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
President Obama Meeting on the Iran Nuclear Agreement
President Obama speaks ahead of a meeting with delegates from the P5+1
Iran nuclear negotiations about implementation of the agreement. This is
part of the Nuclear Security Summit held at the Washington Convention
Center.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
President Obama Meets with President Xi Jinping of China
The
President met yesterday with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two
leaders committed to continue narrowing differences and expanding
practical cooperation on regional
and global challenges. Both leaders agreed to sign the Paris climate
agreement on April 22,
to join the agreement as soon as possible this year, and to work
together and with other parties to bring the Paris Agreement into force
as early as possible. The
leaders also agreed to galvanize global action to phase down HFCs under
the Montreal Protocol and to work to secure an accord on a global
market-based measure for addressing greenhouse gas emissions from
international aviation.
The
President commended our strengthening bilateral cooperation on nuclear
security issues, including the establishment of China’s nuclear security
Center of Excellence
and its commitment to reactor conversions. Both leaders committed to
advance cooperation on development and public health initiatives, and to
strengthen coordination in addressing the shared threat presented by
North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and
ballistic missile systems. Both leaders affirmed their commitment to
achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the full
implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2270.
The
President reiterated America’s unwavering support for upholding human
rights and fundamental freedoms in China. On cyber issues, both leaders
reaffirmed the cyber commitments
announced during President Xi's September 2015 State Visit and agreed
to ensure their full implementation. The President reiterated that we
will continue to monitor whether Chinese actions demonstrate their
adherence to the commitments. The President further
emphasized the importance of establishing a level playing field for all
firms to compete fairly in China. The President urged China to address
differences with its neighbors on maritime issues peacefully and in
accordance with international law and emphasized
the United States global interest in upholding freedom of navigation
and overflight.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
Veep Talk: Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi of Iraq
The
Vice President spoke today with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi to
discuss the latest political and security developments in Iraq. The
Vice President welcomed the
Prime Minister's political reform efforts and reaffirmed continued U.S.
support for steps, in concert with Iraqi political leaders, to
strengthen transparency, national unity, and accountability. The Vice
President also underscored the critical importance
of sustaining momentum in the fight against ISIL and reviewed ongoing
U.S. efforts to support Iraqi Security Forces. The Vice President
commended the Prime Minister for engaging constructively with the IMF to
address fiscal challenges and unlock access to
international financial assistance.
Veep Meet and Greet: President Michelle Bachelet
The
Vice President met with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet today at
the Naval Observatory, where the two leaders underscored the strong
bilateral partnership between
the United States and Chile on issues related to trade, economic
development, and democracy and human rights. The Vice President praised
Chile's constructive role in addressing a number of regional challenges
in the Americas, including its support for the
development of the Northern Triangle countries of Central America and
its vital role as a facilitator of the Colombian peace process. The two
leaders also discussed the status of the United Nations Stabilization
Mission in Haiti and the need for the international
community to support a free and fair election process in Haiti in order
to advance the country's political stability and economic recovery.
The Vice President and President Bachelet agreed that deeper cooperation
on critical issues in the region will be essential
to building a stable and prosperous hemisphere.
Source: The White House, Office of the Vice President
Statement on the Employment Situation in March
WASHINGTON,
DC – Jason Furman, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, issued
the following statement today on the employment situation in March.
Summary:
The economy added 215,000 jobs in March, extending the longest streak
of private-sector job growth on record, as labor force participation
rose.
The
robust pace of job creation continued in March as labor force
participation rose for the fourth consecutive month and hourly wages
increased. The private sector has now added 14.4 million jobs over 73
straight months of job growth, the longest streak on record, and wage
growth has accelerated over the past year. While these trends speak to
the strength of the labor market recovery, more work remains to drive
even faster wage growth, including investing in infrastructure and job
training, implementing high-standards free trade agreements like the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, and raising the minimum wage.
You can view the complete statement here.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
First Read: Trump's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week
First Read is a morning briefing from Meet the Press and the NBC
Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why
they matter.
Donald Trump's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week
This was Donald Trump's worst week of his
campaign since he lost Iowa to Ted Cruz exactly two months ago. To
recap: On Tuesday, his campaign manager was charged with misdemeanor battery. Also on Tuesday, he backed away from his pledge
to support the whomever becomes the GOP nominee, giving his Republican
critics extra ammunition against him. On Wednesday, he suggested on
MSNBC that he would advocate punishing women who seek an abortion,
angering both abortion-rights supporters and opponents. (He later
backtracked from that abortion statement.) And on top of it all, he
finds himself trailing in Wisconsin,
which holds its primary on Tuesday. Make no mistake: After Wisconsin,
the primary calendar looks much more favorable for Trump, with the map
turning to New York (April 19), Connecticut (April 26), Delaware (April
26), Maryland (April 26), Pennsylvania (April 26), and Rhode Island
(April 26). But there's a reason why Trump was meeting
with Republican National Committee officials in Washington yesterday --
he's got to start getting a better handle on the delegate rules,
especially if the nomination is going to come down to a handful of
delegates.
Click here for the full article.
DC Madam’s Attorney Vows to Release Info That Could Affect 2016 Election
Could the 2016 race be rocked by a decade-old scandal? That's the
question this morning as Montgomery Sibley, one of the attorneys in the
2008 “DC madam” scandal, vows to release records that could have a
ripple effect on politicians today, and he's gone all the way to the
Supreme Court. NBC’s Kristen Welker reports for TODAY.
Click here for video.
Source: NBC News
Ferguson, Missouri, Names 32-Year Veteran Miami Cop Delrish Moss to Lead Force
Ferguson, Missouri, named veteran Florida cop
Delrish Moss to lead its troubled police department Thursday, more than a
year and a half after the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael
Brown.
Moss, 51, a major with the Miami police, will bring years of experience
as a media-savvy information specialist to the task of helping to repair
the overwhelmingly white force's reputation after the killing of Brown
in August 2014 exposed severe racial tensions in the Ferguson department
and community.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
I-Team: More NYPD Officers Say There's Proof of Quota-Driven Arrests
Quotas in the NYPD still exist for
arrests and summonses in violation of a 2010 state ban on the practice,
current on-the-job officers tell the I-Team, despite Police Commissioner
Bill Bratton's repeated insistence that there are no quotas.
Bratton has said
that the police department responds to conditions in communities to
reduce crime. But Julio Diaz, New York chapter president of the Latino
Officers Association, said, "I can tell you I’m a police officer, and
there are quotas in the NYPD."
The 10 officers who spoke to the I-Team are plaintiffs, along with two
other officers, in a federal class-action lawsuit that claims the NYPD
is continuing to pursue illegal quotas and is punishing officers who
don’t meet numerical goals.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
U.S., Japan Finalize Nuclear Material Transfer
Reuters, 01/04 17:55 CET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States
and Japan have completed the removal of all highly enriched uranium and
separated plutonium fuels from Japan’s Fast Critical Assembly research
project, the two countries said on Friday.
Announced alongside the Nuclear Security Summit in
Washington, the transfer makes good on a 2014 agreement at a previous
non-proliferation summit to move the material from the site in Tokai
Mura, Japan to the United States, the countries said.
“It furthers our mutual goal of minimizing stocks of (highly enriched uranium) HEU
and separated plutonium worldwide, which will help prevent unauthorized
actors, criminals, or terrorists from acquiring such materials,” the
United States and Japan said in a joint statement released during the
Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.
Click here for the full article.
Source: Euronews
Tension Erupts as Greece Prepares Migrant Returns to Turkey
After a night of violence at a holding center on the Greek island of Chios, hundreds of migrants and refugees have forced their way out, reportedly tearing down part of a razor wire fence.
Tensions are boiling over as Greece prepares to start returning migrants to Turkey under the EU’s deal with Ankara.
Reception centers on the Aegean islands have become detention centers for those arriving after March 20, who face being sent back if
their asylum applications are not accepted.
Click here for the full article.
Source: Euronews
UN ‘Shocked to the Core’ Over New Child Sex Abuse Allegations in CAR
By Joanna Gill | With AFP, UN, AIDS-FREE WORLD, REUTERS
Source: Euronews
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Top Black Staffers Leave The Republican National Committee
The RNC, which has made broadening its base a prioritym just lost its head of Black outreach.
By
Tyler Tynes
The Republican National Committee is losing the person who leads the GOP’s outreach to black communities, as first reported by NBC News and confirmed by The Huffington Post.
Kristal Quarker-Hartsfield, the national director of African-American Initiatives at the RNC, is leaving the organization to work for Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) as his director of intergovernmental affairs. Her last day is set to be Friday, and she is the second black top staffer to depart the RNC this month.
Quarker-Hartsfield and the RNC did not return repeated requests for comment on her reasons for leaving.
Quarker-Hartsfield joins several other staffers of color who have departed the RNC recently. Orlando Watson, communications director for black media, left earlier this month. Tara Wall and Raffi Williams, son of Fox News political analyst Juan Williams, both left their press positions at the RNC late last year.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Huffington Post
The Republican National Committee is losing the person who leads the GOP’s outreach to black communities, as first reported by NBC News and confirmed by The Huffington Post.
Kristal Quarker-Hartsfield, the national director of African-American Initiatives at the RNC, is leaving the organization to work for Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) as his director of intergovernmental affairs. Her last day is set to be Friday, and she is the second black top staffer to depart the RNC this month.
Quarker-Hartsfield and the RNC did not return repeated requests for comment on her reasons for leaving.
Quarker-Hartsfield joins several other staffers of color who have departed the RNC recently. Orlando Watson, communications director for black media, left earlier this month. Tara Wall and Raffi Williams, son of Fox News political analyst Juan Williams, both left their press positions at the RNC late last year.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Huffington Post
Mississippi Senate Passes Sweeping 'Religious Liberty' Bill
The Mississippi Senate voted Wednesday evening
to pass a religious freedom bill which some say could have sweeping
anti-LGBT repercussions for the United States.
The Republican-dominated Senate voted 31-17 to
pass the controversial bill, called the "Protecting Freedom of
Conscience From Government Discrimination Act."
The legislation says
that businesses, social workers and public employees cannot be punished
for denying services based on the belief that marriage is between a man
and a woman or that "sexual relations are properly reserved to such a
marriage." It also protects individuals who believe gender is determined
at birth.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
White House Briefing
Deputy Spokesperson Eric Schultz and Deputy National Security Adviser
Ben Rhodes briefed reporters and responded to their questions in a
briefing from the Nuclear Security Summit.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Republican National Convention and Unbound Delegates
Alex Rogers, National Journal Staff Correspondent, talked about Republican presidential candidates' efforts to
woo unbound delegates, a process that could determine whether the party
will need to go past a first ballot at the presidential nominating
convention.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
State Religious Objection Laws
Sarah Warbelow, Human Rights Campaign Legal Director, and Tim Schultz, 1st Amendment Partnership President, talked about laws passed in North
Carolina and Georgia to allow businesses to deny services on the basis
of religious objection, as well as pushback from those who view such
laws as discriminatory.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Exclusive: Texas Forced This Woman to Deliver a Stillborn Baby
By Brandy Zadrozny
Twenty weeks into Taylor
Mahaffey’s pregnancy, her baby started emerging from her womb, with
doctors powerless to stop it—and because of Texas’s fetal-pain law, all
the hospital could do was send her home.
Daniel and Taylor Mahaffey were 20 weeks pregnant and desperately wanted their child, but when doctors informed them a complication meant the fetus had no chance of survival, they just wanted their baby’s suffering to end. Yet because of their state’s “fetal pain” law, the married Texans say they were forced to endure a stillbirth and wait as their baby slowly died in utero.
The Mahaffeys had begun decorating the nursery in anticipation for the little boy they planned to name Fox, after one of the Lost Boys in Peter Pan.
On
Wednesday night, Taylor, 23, felt something abnormal and since their
last pregnancy ended in miscarriage, they rushed to the hospital. By the
time they got there, Fox’s feet were already pushing through his
mother’s cervix. Doctors tried several emergency measures to stop the
preterm labor, including putting Taylor on an incline in the hopes that
they could perform a cervical cerclage—a procedure in which doctors
stitch shut the cervix. Nothing worked. Nothing could save him.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Daily Beast
The Power of the Pen: New Bills Signed into Law
On Wednesday, March 30, 2016, the President signed into law:
H.R.
1831, the “Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2016,” which
establishes a Commission to study and make recommendations on the
Federal Government's collection,
storage, and use of administrative data for "evidence-building"
research purposes;
H.R.
4721, the “Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2016,” which extends
authorization for Federal Aviation Administration programs and related
revenue authorities through
July 15, 2016.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
NAN 25th Anniversary Convention to Feature Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders
New York, NY – National Action Network, will host its annual convention in New York from April 13-16 at the Sheraton Hotel. The convention is free and open to the public, but registration
is required and isolated events are ticketed.
This year's national convention will feature the two leading
Democratic presidential candidates, Secretary Hillary Clinton (April 13) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (April 15)
will both address the convention.
The annual “Keepers of the Dream Awards” will highlight the program on April 14.
Also attending will be members of President Barack Obama’s cabinet and
leaders from a wide range of areas including civil rights,
government and business.
Delegates will hear about a range of issues
impacting civil rights including the 2016 presidential election, police
and community relations, education, housing, employment, health care,
immigration, and much more.
The full schedule (which will continue to be updated) can be found here:
http://nationalactionnetwork.
Source: The National Action Network
Saving Our Youth: The New York Gang Investigators Association
The New York Gang Investigators Association was established in 2006 by criminal justice professionals who recognized the importance of sharing information and working with social service agencies, community-based organizations and the education system to impact the spread of gangs. By bringing together those that are actively involved in the investigation, prosecution, suppression, intervention and prevention of criminal street gangs, prison gangs and extremist groups and their affiliations, they provide a venue for collaboration and communication across disciplines.
Click here for more information.
Source: The New York Gang Investigators
Association
Trailblazers in Black History: Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was an American tap dancer and actor,
the best known and most highly paid African American entertainer in the
first half of the twentieth century.
Additional information on Mr. Robinson's legacy and life is available here.
Source: Biography.com
Terrorism and North Korea Dominate Nuclear Talks in Washington
The annual Nuclear Security Summit, aimed at
reducing the world's nuclear weapons, gets underway Thursday in
Washington with President Obama hosting a series of meetings with the
leaders of several Asian nations to talk about efforts to prevent North
Korea from becoming a bigger threat.
But the gathering of more than 50 world leaders
will focus primarily on keeping terrorists from obtaining the
ingredients for a dirty bomb, a concern heightened by last week's terror
attacks in Belgium.
"Given the continued threat posed by
organizations such as the terrorist group we call ISIL, or ISIS, we'll
also join allies and partners in reviewing our counterterrorism efforts,
to prevent the world's most dangerous networks from obtaining the
world's most dangerous weapons," Obama wrote in a Washington Post op-ed.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
First Read: Why Trump's Controversies Matter for All Republicans
First Read is a morning briefing from Meet
the Press and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important
political stories and why they matter.
Why Trump's flip-flops matter: In the space of hours yesterday, Donald Trump made a complete walk-back of his controversial comments on MSNBC
suggesting that he would advocate punishment for women seeking
abortions. He went from saying "there has to be some form of punishment,
yeah" to "the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act
upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman."
Throughout the campaign, instances of Trump changing or amending a
statement - or at least enduring withering criticism from within his own
party for something he said -- have become routine. On nearly a weekly
basis now, downballot Republicans are facing maddening political choices
as they're asked to comment on Trump's constantly-changing policy
positions and shocking pronouncements. And the constant whiplash makes
for a compelling case for those inside the party who say it's worth
risking the backlash with Trump voters by doing whatever it takes to
stop him. By the fall, can Republicans running downballot really afford
to respond almost daily to something Trump said? It's been tough enough
this spring, and it's only going to get more complicated.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
White House Summit Focuses on Women in Prison
Valerie Jarrett, left, addresses a convening on Women and the Criminal Justice System at The White House.
Carol Adams was a 17-year-old high school senior when her father shot and killed her mother in their home.
"I heard five shots in the next room," recalled
Adams of the tragic incident some 35 years ago. "He had promised to kill
her. …he was sentenced to seven years and served 18 months."
Today, Adams is a Richmond, Va., police sergeant
who founded an eponymous foundation that aids women and children
victimized by domestic violence. She was among those who shared their
stories at an event convened by the White House focused on `Women and
the Criminal Justice System.'
The Wednesday afternoon program not only
coincided with Women's History month, but fell on a day in which
President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of 61 men and women
convicted of non-violent drug offenses. To date, Obama has pardoned 268
individuals—more than the past six presidents combined.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Feds Announce Settlement in Probe of Illegal Policing in Newark
The Justice Department announced Wednesday that
it had settled its investigation into an array of illegal police tactics
focused on minorities in Newark with a series of reforms aimed at
remaking the force in New Jersey's largest city.
The deal marks another notch in the Justice Department's growing effort
to compel local police agencies to change by threatening court action.
The department is currently juggling 15 such consent degrees with forces
small and large, from Ferguson, Missouri to Seattle and New Orleans.
Police in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. have successfully completed
the terms and returned from the federal government's oversight. Another
five departments, including Chicago and Baltimore, are under
investigation for possible action.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
When Mobsters Meet Hackers: The New, Improved Bank Heist
No need for stocking masks and sawn-off
shotguns. The unprecedented heist of $81 million from the U.S. account
of Bangladesh's central bank is the latest among increasingly large
thefts by criminals who have leveraged the speed and anonymity of
hacking to revolutionize burgling banks.
Hundreds of millions of dollars, and perhaps much more, have been
stolen from banks and financial services companies in recent years
because of this alliance of traditional and digital criminals, with many
victims not reporting the thefts for fear of reputational damage.
Typically, security and cyber-crime experts say,
hackers break into the computer systems of financial institutions and
make, or incite others to make, fraudulent transactions to pliant
accounts. Organized crime then uses techniques developed over decades to
launder the money, giving the alliance much higher rewards than a
hold-up or bank vault robbery, with much less risk.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Vatican Investigates Claim Hospital Funds Used to Refurbish Cardinal’s Flat
Reuters, 31/03 16:31 CET
VATICAN CITY
(Reuters) – The Vatican said on Thursday it is investigating two former
officials over claims money meant for a children’s hospital was used to
refurbish a cardinal’s luxury apartment.
Costly work at former Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal
Tarcisio Bertone’s flat — seeming to clash with Pope Francis’s
recommendations that church officials live as modestly as he — caused a
scandal when allegations emerged that the Bambino Gesu Hospital
foundation had helped foot the bill.
Giuseppe Profiti, former manager at the Vatican-owned
Bambino Gesu, and its ex-treasurer Massimo Spina are being investigated,
Vatican press officer Greg Burke said, confirming a report in Italian
magazine L’Espresso.
Efforts to track down the two men, who no longer work at the hospital, were not immediately successful.
A lawyer for Bertone, who is not being investigated, said
in a statement on Thursday the cardinal had never asked for or authorized any payment from the hospital foundation relating to his
apartment.
Click here for the full article.
Source: Euronews
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Disturbing Discovery at the Indian Point Nuclear Facility
The following statement by Governor Andrew Cuomo was submitted on March 29, 2016.
“This afternoon, the state learned that
hundreds of faulty bolts were discovered within the reactor at the
Indian Point Unit 2 Plant. This is the latest in a long series of
incidents that raise deep concerns about the management, maintenance and
equipment standards at this plant. While there is no immediate danger
to public health and safety, this troubling news further validates the
State’s ongoing investigation into the operations of this aging power
plant and our position that it should not be relicensed. New York State
will continue to investigate every facet of the plant’s operations and
safety preparedness while ensuring that these critical defects are
addressed immediately.”
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Oval Office Chat: Prime Minister Sharif of Pakistan
President Obama
today spoke by phone today with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan
to express condolences over the recent terrorist attack in Lahore. This callous and appalling attack
against innocent civilians, many of them women and children,
underscores the critical danger that terrorism poses inside Pakistan,
throughout the region, and around the globe. President Obama expressed
his understanding of Prime Minister Sharif's decision
to cancel his visit to the United States and remain in Pakistan
following this terrorist attack. The President reiterated the U.S.
commitment to partner with Pakistan to counter terrorism.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
National Security Council Notes: Meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval of India
National
Security Advisor Susan E. Rice met yesterday with Indian National
Security Advisor Ajit Doval at the White House. Ambassador Rice and NSA
Doval exchanged views
on the terrorist threat posed by ISIL in the region and the importance
of combatting the ideology that fuels such groups. They also discussed
U.S.-India counterterrorism cooperation, including against
Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Additionally,
they exchanged views on the prospects for commercial progress this year
under U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation, and Ambassador Rice
reiterated U.S. support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers
Group and Missile Technology Control Regime.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary